They wrote "58-56" in their lockers and on the team's dry erase board. Some players even inked those digits on their practice sneakers. It was the score by which Kingston lost to Middletown in last year's dramatic Section 9 Class AA championship game.

That — in part — is what made Kingston's 71-63 victory on Tuesday night feel so good. Kingston used a 25-7 run to end the third quarter, putting away Middletown in a key Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association Division I game.

The win puts Kingston, Middletown and Newburgh in a three-way tie for first-place in Division I at 2-1. After the win, DeCicco, who led the Tigers with 24 points, thinks Kingston is the team to beat in competitive Class AA.

"We think we are the best team in Section 9," DeCicco said. "We think we can outplay anyone. Sometimes we get a little too ahead of ourselves. But as long as we play hard, push the ball, play defense, we will be all right."

After this much-anticipated showdown, DeCicco could talk. After all, the senior helped will Kingston (7-2) into control of the game. Trailing 33-31 with 4:30 left in the third quarter, DeCicco scored the Tigers' next eight points to help put Kingston up 39-35. The game was never tied again.

Kingston's 25-7 run to end the third culminated with a 3-pointer at the buzzer by sharpshooter Zack Short in the corner, right in front of the Tigers' bench, to make it 56-40. Short finished with 11 points and point guard Justin Robinson had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Aaron Ray's 33 points led Middletown (5-3). Middletown junior guard Travis Cook, receiving Division I college attention, left the game midway through the fourth quarter with a sprained left ankle. He is doubtful for the game on Thursday at Pine Bush.

With Cook on the bench, Middletown pulled to within 65-63 on a 3-pointer by Ray with 1:20 remaining. However, D.J. Mapes answered with a 3-pointer for Kingston to make it 68-63. Short sealed the game, stealing the ball from Ray near halfcourt, and passing it to Robinson. Robinson went in for the easy layup with 38.6 seconds

remaining.

"I knew we were going to win the whole time," Short said. "I just felt like we were clicking the whole time. Even when they came back, coach (Ron Kelder) started preaching that this is what we work for in practice. Everyone just stared to click. We were just like 'all right, we got this.' "

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